speechless

Make known the Gospel of Jesus Christ and if you must... use words.

 Today I am  reminded that as a disciple of Jesus, I am called to show His love with every move that I make and  in every circumstance; I am to represent the Former of all. This is a command that should not be made light of and I am praying that I live each day in reckless abandonment to self.

While sitting at a bus stop this afternoon, Jesus showed Himself in a way that  gave me such joy which can not be explained with finite words. The Savior is so much grander than human vocabulary and He confirmed this to me today as I waited for bus # 401. A beautiful, older lady sat next to me on the bench and  began smiling, gently laughing and speaking Portuguese to me; I could do nothing but smile, giggle, and nod along as she spoke.Much of the older generation of Portugal does not speak English,so I did not bother telling her I did not speak her same language.When the 401 bus arrived Hannah (my hands-on partner), the older lady, and I scanned our passes and found  ourselves a seat. I ended up sitting right  in front of this sweet lady and felt the Lord asking me to tell her good bye when it was time for me to get off at my stop. So as I stood up to walk towards the door of the bus,I turned towards the lady and placed my hand on her shoulder and  simply said, "Adeus" (good bye); she softly placed her hand on my arm and smiled at me. This smile was no ordinary smile; it was as if I were looking into the face of my Savior. In all, this encounter probably lasted 15 minutes at the most , yet it made an ginormous impression on my heart.  

This story may seem like a very peculiar example of making Jesus known..Also, you might not see the point in me sharing it in a blog entry.However, I believe Jesus divinely placed that woman on that very bench and bus.No matter how small or out of the box it may seem; if Jesus is asking you to be obedient, then you are called to lay aside your own logic and completely surrender.We are called to say, "yes Lord, I will!" Any hesitation to the Lord's command is called being disobedient.  He asked me to be speechless, approachable,kind, and a listening ear today. Though I did not know what this woman was saying or even her name, Jesus surely did. We are to love at all costs and in every situation.

This has nothing to do with you or me and EVERYTHING to do with Him!

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."Galatians 5:13 

 Am I approachable?  Am I genuine? Am I loving? Am I compassionate like Jesus?

Am I distracted and missing out on things God is wanting to show me? 

These are questions I was inspired to ask myself today and I encourage you to ask yourself these as well.

we all need a good scooping

Like I mentioned in my former post, I have the privilege of spending each Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon with kids that live in a children's home (the Lar).During this time I get to fully lay aside any of my own selfish wants or desires so that I can show these kids true, genuine love
The joy that they bring can lighten any gloomy day. 

 

Today we used a pumpkin to show the love of the Lord. We explained that just like humans, no two pumpkins are the same; some are rather tall and slender and others may be short and stout. However, once you take a deeper, inward look you find that each pumpkin bears the same yucky gunk as it's fellow patch brother.( "For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"-Romans 3:23)

 The same can also be said about mankind; we are all sinners and inwardly slimy and in a great need for someone to come along and scoop out the yuck... Jesus Christ being the only one capable of removal.

("For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Romans 6:23)

Once the slim and weight of sin is removed from within, a remarkable transformation can then take place, The Creator gives life and purpose to His Creation by forming a beautiful, joyful smile. (aka:the smile of the jack-o-lantern) He then proceeds to give His handiwork a special purpose by placing a light within so that all can see in the darkness. A new creation has been made!!!

 "For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the LORD.Live as children of light. for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth.and find out what pleases the Lord."

-Ephesians 4:8-10 

This story may sound "cute" and pleasing to the ear, but it is filled with truth and urgency. A life void of Jesus is not life at all, but death and a future in eternal agony and pain.This time of year people parade around in devil costumes as if it were a joke and it's not, dear friends, hell is real and I love you too much to not mention it on this blog post. Jesus is madly in love with each of you and longs to have a daily relationship with you. It does not matter where you are or where you have been, He loves YOU and says come as you are and be set free of the slim and gunk that leads to death. He makes all things glorious and new.

 You can call upon His name right now and talk to Him like you would your very best friend. Tell Jesus  you believe that He died for you, confess that you are filthy and you will  be set free of all the baggage you have carried far too long.
 I am by no means saying that the life of a Christ follower is easy with gum drop paved paths and rainbows... no, actually the Bible promises (John 16:33) that in this world we will have pain and strife because Jesus,  Himself suffered (and He was without sin). However,we must not forget that the Bible also tells us that our momentary trails are nothing in comparison to our eternal destination and reward of being side by side with our Creator(2 Cor.4:17). This is not about religion, but about a relationship with the one who knows you more than you know yourself; this is a daily walking with Jesus and trusting Him to write your story. 

"You were taught, with  regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires; to be made NEW in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the NEW self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."- Ephesians 4:22-24

family tree

But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

-Luke 18:16

Every Tuesday and Wednesday I have the privilege of going to the Lar.

 The Lar (meaning home)   is a children's home for kids of all ages that have been removed from their homes due to bad circumstances. I have been with these kids several weeks now and I am growing attached; I tear up just thinking about leaving them in December. Each Tuesday and Wednesday, we bring a craft, game, or an activity to help them with their English. We are there to teach English with an ultimate goal of showing and teaching the love of Jesus. Yesterday we decided to teach the vocabulary for family names, 

ex: mom,dad,grandma,grandpa,sister,brother...

We started out by showing flash cards with each word in English and that same word also in Portuguese. Dad=Pai 

Then, we played a matching game with the cards and asked the kids to pair the English word with it's Portuguese word, or vise versa. 

After the game we discussed what  a family tree was and showed one of a made up girl named Rita.We then passed each kid his or her own blank family tree that needed to be filled out. 

I also filled a tree out and it took me about two seconds and I had more family than could even fit on the tree. However, these kids did not and it completely broke my heart. 

Most did not know their father's name and none knew their grandparents names.

Sitting there, it reminded me of how blessed I was to grow up with two parents who greatly loved me and worked hard so that I could have all that I ever needed and then some. I also grew up with the knowledge of whom all my grand parents were/are and have/had relationships with them. So, Why me?! This is what I thought to myself as the kids struggled to know what to do with the blank boxes on their trees... why did I not have this life? The Lord could have very well placed me in a Lar or He could have placed me in the dump in Guatemala. Yet, I still do not fully appreciate all the blessings God has poured out upon me!!! What is wrong with me!!? My cup overflows and I still at times want more poured in!!! 

These kids have a certain joy growing inside of them that I lacked growing up. They are content and happy with what they have been given. 

After the family vocabulary lesson yesterday, we realized it was not that great of an idea to bring them family trees and have them filled in. However,I am so thankful that we did, because the kids didn't seem very shocked by it, but it was as if a lightning bolt struck down to the deepest depths of my heart and said, "Jennifer, WAKE UP!" 

I have wasted so much of my life disrespecting my parents and not being grateful for what I have.  Last summer God sent me to Guatemala and my eyes were opened to what true poverty looks like and now I am here working with kids who may never get to go to their first homes... God is teaching me to soak up every moment and open my eyes to the great mercies and gifts He bestows. 

I may not be able to take these babies back home,but I can point them heavenward. The true, everlasting Lar. Please pray for these amazing kids and our ministry. I am heading out the door now to go paint fall pictures with them, they bless me far more than I could ever bless them. God is the true Father!!! 

ROYGBIV

RED,ORANGE,YELLOW,GREEN,BLUE,INDIGO,VIOLET.....The world is full or color!

Today, I look out my apartment window and see thousands of burnt orange clay roofs,lite and dark grey cobblestone filling the alley ways and streets,a little boy with a bright green Popsicle that is dripping down his hands and on to his light blue shirt.... the list goes on! This world is full of color and it amazes me how God has crafted our eyes  so magnificently to see all of the different pigments and shades.

It's quite sad that it took the Lord sending me all the way across the great,big ocean for me to see things differently and for my eyes to become open to true beauty.Each day I am noticing things that I had never taken a second glance at before, for example, COLORS!

I recently started taking art classes here in Porto and I am learning to mix and experiment with different colors. Did you know that magenta,blue & yellow will make a beautiful charcoal color?! I knew from watching Barney as a child that yellow and green,if mixed,will make blue and also that red and blue will make the color purple if spun together just right.Yet, I had NO IDEA that you could make any color using the right mixes!It may sound loopy to you, but it does amaze me and makes me and inspires me to think deeper and write a blog about it. Any color can be created into something else if mixed by the right hands.

Example: It took me about 20 minutes to make the color gold and it still looked like baby food when I finished mixing, however, when my talented art instructor took over, she created a beautiful and exact golden color.

The Bible says in Psalms 139, that we are all spun together and formed in our mothers womb by the same God who created the entire universe and all the colors seen around and about us. He says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made!!!

 We are made to be something beautiful that can only be formed by the right hands, HIS HANDS!!

WE NEED TO WASH THE PAINT OFF OUR  HANDS....

Often times I try to function and accomplish things on my own and end up making a big, ugly mess(ex:baby food instead of gold) & Each time I attempt to control my life, I end up having to call on the instructor (JESUS) for help. Alone we are simply incapable of mixing our life together into something beautiful.HOWEVER, when that paint brush and pallet (so to speak)  is in the hands of our Creator, You can be certain that something gorgeous and beyond our finite imagination is then formed.

Take a look around today and ask yourself if you are trying to create and conjure up things on your own.

 Are we allowing the first,True Artist (Who was and is and is to come) to do His handiwork in our lives to create something breath taking?

 Or are we trying to pull out our crayolas and scribble and call it art? 

Am I playing artist when I was created to be an artist's assistant?

Victory?

vic·to·ry

   [vik-tuh-ree, vik-tree] 

1.

a success or triumph over an enemy in battle or war.

2.

an engagement ending in such triumph

3.

the ultimate and decisive superiority in any battle orcontest

4.

a success or superior position achieved against anyopponent, opposition, difficulty, etc.: a moral victory.

    Lately I have been praying and pondering over the word, 'Victory'.I have been spending some time thinking about this word (which Dictionary.com define above), because at the end of each week here in Portugal; Hannah and I are asked what victories the previous week held. Now as a Christian on a mission trip, what is the first thing that comes to mind when asked about the victories that took place? Well, the number of salvation's, of course!

However, I truly believe we (as followers of Jesus) have had a very clouded definition of the word victory. 

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

#1: Jesus Christ is from whom all victory is formed and found. 1 Corinthians 15:57

By our own strength and ability, victory is not possible.Yet, with Christ 

Jesus,mountains can be moved! Often we look in the mirror in hopes of finding victory within,  when ultimately true victory is found as we decrease and the Heavenly Father increases.

#2: Yes, seeing man surrendering his heart to the Savior is a victory in this dark, depraved world. However if we choose to only fix our eyes and purpose on this victorious moment, we will surely miss out on the others surrounding us.For example, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower in Matthew chapter 13 and explains what it means to sow "good" seeds. A good seed is a victory and something to be joyous about; a daily friendly smile to the neighbor who only speaks Portuguese,or praying constantly for a certain cafe, visiting it regularly...  all such things are planting seeds and All seeds will eventually grow.Our neighbor may, one day, ask someone why we were here and hear of Jesus' love; the cafe owner may see generosity, love, and consistency and wonder what is different or new about us.The beauty of a seed sown is the timing of it's growth.God's timing is far greater than our own. Hannah and I may never get to witness the results of the seeds the Lord has allowed us to sow here. We are not called to see results,we are called to be obedient and love like Jesus, He is the one who holds the outcome.

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” -Acts 1:7-8

and #3: A victory is (as dictionary.com defined) :an engagement ending in such triumph. For example my victory for the week (which I did not at first count as a victory) Was meeting a woman Saturday at the crafts festival who made jewelry.We held a great conversation about her work. This conversation ended in her telling me her name (Isabella) and inviting me to take lessons at the shop she owns. Though this may seem small to you, it was an engagement ending in such triumph.(and in English might I add) 

We will be stopping by her shop this week in hopes to continue on in a great relationship/friendship structured by Christ to show Christ. I believe this deserves a shout of VICTORY!!! 

God has divine appointment and in Him victory is made possible and known and shown.   

So, What is Victory? How often do we tend to focus on the defeats in our day and miss out on the victories God is allowing to take place all around.